Arts, Entertainment, and Media

The Six Most Uncool Members Of Cool Bands

Last week in this very column, we counted down the six coolest members of uncool bands. This week, we flip the script. Here are the six most uncool members of cool bands, and they're all probably really nice people. See Also: -The Six Coolest Members of Otherwise Uncool Bands

Independent Hip-Hop Icon Murs To Play at Gramophone Tonight: An Interview

One of the icons of independent hip-hop for over a decade, Murs comes to St. Louis tonight at the Gramophone. The fearless leader of the Road to Paid Dues Tour, Murs is traveling coast-to-coast to spread the word about the upcoming 2013 installment of his annual festival, which takes place at the e ... More >>

Ten Bands You Never Would Have Thought Used to Be Good

It's a common cliché by now: Some snobby, balding guy with glasses in every bar across America rants and raves about how he only likes "the old stuff" by every band. "I liked the first record," is his creed. This character floats around, bumming everyone out and sucking all the fun out of a karaoke ... More >>

South By South City Fest to Overtake Off Broadway This Weekend

This weekend, Off Broadway is hosting the very first South By South City festival, a celebration of the St. Louis music scene inspired by SXSW fest in Texas. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, $5 gets you in to see 5-6 native musical delights, plus samples of beer from the finest breweries in town. ... More >>

Ghostface Killah is Coming to 2720 Cherokee April 27

The Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah will be coming to 2720 Cherokee on Saturday, April 27. Joining him will be a ten-piece band, Adrian Younge's Venice Dawn.

The Best St. Louis Metal Shows in March

Looking for a good place to see flashy and exciting music played at high volume, have your mind blown by dark and powerful sounds, or just stomp around like a drunken goon with your shirt off? Then a heavy metal concert might be just the place for you. Each month I'll be offering my top picks of the ... More >>

A Fiery 50

Take Your Best Picture Alongside Oscar

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Bruno Mars, Soundgarden, the Dillinger Escape Plan and More in This Week's Show Announcements

Here again: every newly announced show for the week! On page one you'll find a quick list of shows that particularly caught our attention, followed by embedded YouTube videos; there, you can check out some of the artists you may not be familiar with. Page two contains our complete listing of new sho ... More >>

Sorry, But Kanye Is the GOAT

Kanye West is the greatest hip-hop artist of all time. He's made the best albums and changed the game the most, and his music is the most likely to endure. One thing before we get going: This isn't one of those arguments meant to piss people off or "start a conversation." I really mean it. And, co ... More >>

Local Authors Take Over Local Bestseller List

Here's your weekly St. Louis bestseller list for the week ending February 17, as compiled by the St. Louis Independent Booksellers Alliance and based on sales at Left Bank Books, Main Street Books, Subterranean Books and The Book House. This week The Book House in Webster Groves begins reporting sa ... More >>

In Defense of New Girl (Hear Us Out...)

I Have Eight Free Tickets to the Pageant This Weekend: Win Them

St. Louis' favorite Led Zeppelin tribute band, Celebration Day, is playing back-to-back shows at the Pageant this weekend on Friday and Saturday. Somehow, I wound up with four tickets to each night -- and you can win them!

The Fortunate Ones

Son Volt, Dick Dale, Dave Matthews Band, Antiseen and More in This Week's Show Announcements

Here again: every newly announced show for the week! On page one you'll find a quick list of shows that particularly caught our attention, followed by embedded YouTube videos; there, you can check out some of the artists you may not be familiar with. Page two contains our complete listing of new sho ... More >>

Die Hard, Die Alone: When John McClane lost his family, the movies lost much of John McClane

The Great Depression's Knockout Punch

Mystikal, Famous Sex Offender / Rapper to Drop New Album in 2013 With Appearances By Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne

Mystikal has been getting a lot of attention for an interview he did with Rolling Stone recently. In said interview, he mentions that lately he's been listening to James Brown, Sam Cooke, Master P, Ludacris, and Eddie Murphy lately, and is in the midst of working on a new album (recent singles seem ... More >>

The Six Best Songs About Murdering A Significant Other

Valentine's Day is upon us, a time to celebrate relationships or hate those celebrating. But for those relationships that don't end well, here are the six best songs about murdering a significant other. Let us know your favorites in the comments, but we suggest using a public computer with an untrac ... More >>

Fresco Kane Releases Video For Latest Single "Fresco Kane"

East St. Louis' Fresco Kane continues his recent rise to hip-hop prominence with the release of a brand new music video for his latest, appropriately named "Fresco Kane." The song itself serves as an introductory banger and may be one of Fresco's strongest singles yet, while the video plays in black ... More >>

The Ten Best Non Mardi Gras Shows in St. Louis This Weekend: February 8 to February 10

Well, I can cross "get personally serenaded in a room full of people by an expertly expletive-spitting, sparkly cape wearing Blowfly" off of my bucket list now (the "girlfriend" mentioned in the appropriately titled Blowfly Stole My Girlfriend and Called My Dick Puny show recap is me). He held my ha ... More >>

The Cover of the February 7 Print Edition

The Best St. Louis Metal Shows in February

Looking for a good place to see flashy and exciting music played at high volume, have your mind blown by dark and powerful sounds, or just stomp around like a drunken goon with your shirt off? Then a heavy metal concert might be just the place for you. Each month I'll be offering my top picks of the ... More >>

Mortal Beloved

The Top 10 Rappers to Whom You Can't Tell Nothin'

By Jennifer Swann  In Macklemore's forthcoming single, "Can't Hold Us," he raps, "Nah they can't tell me nothing," thus continuing a long line of rappers to whom one can not tell nothing. It makes one wonder: Why are people always trying to tell rappers something? Why do the rappers refuse to li ... More >>

Tim McGraw Gets Sober, Kills Only Chance of Revitalizing Country Music

Country music has always mystified me. On the one hand, the songs always seem to focus on alcohol, failed relationships, and poverty - subjects that have spawned fantastic art for years. On the other hand, popular country music has been virtually unlistenable for at least the last twenty years.

Kendrick Lamar is Coming to Chaifetz Arena April 17

Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar will be coming to St. Louis on Wednesday, April 17. Joining the critically-acclaimed rapper will be DJ Steve Aoki, founder of Dim Mak Records and an electrifying showman in his own right. Aoki is also nominated for a Grammy in this year's upcoming awards show, in the ca ... More >>

50 Photos from January 2013: Seized Cash, Sexy Plumbers, Craft Beer and More

Pics, pics, pics, pics: They make the Internet run. Here are some our favorite photos from the month of January, published within the pages, deadtree and digital, of the RFT.

My Bloody Valentine Releases New Album, MBV After 22 Years: Get It Here

[Update 6:23 pm: MBV's official website has already crashed from the volume of people trying to get to the new album. Keep checking back for more updates.] [Update 2: According to Consequenses of Sound, the album is called mbv and contains nine tracks. It will be available for purchase on the band' ... More >>

My Bloody Valentine Doesn't Release New Album, Beleaguered Fans Slowly Lose Minds

Shoegaze legends My Bloody Valentine had fans on the edge of their seats all week in anticipation of the band's first album in more than twenty years. Frontman Kevin Shields' onstage remarks in London on Sunday hinted that the new material would be released this week -- "might be out in two or three ... More >>

The Best Part About The Mars Volta Was Their Hair

The Mars Volta was a rock band from California, which a place where rock bands are frequently formed. Other rock bands formed in California include Van Halen, Creedence Clearwater Revival and the band that spawned the Mars Volta, At The Drive-In. At The Drive-In is best known for once having a song ... More >>

Keeping Kids Music Junk-Free: Grandfather Stark on the Wild Ride of the Musical Merry-Go-Round

In the annals of musical genres and styles that compel a desire to do violence to one's ears and eyes and other orifices, the stuff proffered by the likes of the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon -- "family music" to use a misnomer in this case -- has few equals. Kids may love it and consume it in Cost ... More >>

Brad Paisley Tells Country Audiences There's Nothing Wrong With White Folks Becoming the Minority

Every couple weeks, starting now, RFT Music takes a hard listen to the music in which millions of Americans soak. Brad Paisley, "Southern Comfort Zone" Current Billboard Country Singles Chart Position: 10 The Verdict: Holy shit, songs on the radio can still be important! So, here, in a shimmering ... More >>

Here are Five Charity Songs that Sucked for the 28th Anniversary of "We Are the World"

Way back in the '80s, people liked feeling magnanimous. "I hear there are starving kids in Ethiopia." "Fuck that! We can feed people with a song!" And thus, the idea for "We Are the World" was born. Maybe. I haven't actually talked to Lionel Richie about his motivation for coordinating the song, bu ... More >>

The Ten Best Shows in St. Louis This Weekend: January 25 to 27

If I had a quarter for every Jell-O shot I've been offered since I started this job, I'd probably have enough change to get a couple beers out of the boozy vending machine downstairs. I've never been much of a lush, but it just seems un-American to turn down a dessert with such high regard from the ... More >>

Shaved Women Employs a Relentlessly DIY Approach to Music

Odometer Reading: By far the best thing about 4000 Miles is its venerable star, Rita Gardner

Kick the Cancan

Mrs. Sorken and the Duck Variations

Group-Think Yourself Happy

Quick Questions: Tef Poe Talks to the Creative Minds Behind Hitmakers Basement Beats

Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. ... More >>

The Best Concerts in St. Louis this Week: January 22 to 27

Well, I hope you enjoyed that temporary shot of springtime over the weekend while you could! Clouds are currently unloading some major snowflakes outside, but that's no reason to get left out in the cold during this week's shows. Check out Ian Fisher & the Present's CD Release and visits from Sponge ... More >>

Reel Big Fish at the Pageant Last Night: Photos

Reel Big Fish played the Pageant last night, delighting fans with pick-it-ups, upstrokes and all manner of ska-punk fury. The show was well-attended and fans were eager to skank the night away with the '90s most radio-ready third wave ska band. Our own Todd Owyoung was there with camera in hand to c ... More >>

The Six Most Misguided Career Moves By Ska Bands

This week, Reel Big Fish, The Pilfers, and Mu330's Dan Potthast play The Pageant. 'Tis a rarity among ska bills, in that each artist progressed through its career but never fully moved away from its birth genre. Others' careers have been less successful, both artistically and commercially. Here are ... More >>

There's Always a Cardinal on the St. Louis Bestseller List

Here's your weekly St. Louis bestseller list for the week ending January 6, as compiled by the St. Louis Independent Booksellers Alliance and based on sales at Left Bank Books, Main Street Books and Subterranean Books. There are some changes to the local bestseller list this week. For one thing, fo ... More >>

Comedians Are The New Rock Stars

Art and life co-habitate, informing, imitating, and enriching each other constantly. Each week in Better Living Through Music, RFT Music writer Ryan Wasoba explores this symbiotic relationship. No phrase encapsulates the worst elements of music quite like the phrase "rock star." My disdain is s ... More >>

The Cover of the January 10 Print Edition

Tony LaRussa's Wife: Huge Metalhead?

Lita Ford, Doro Pesch, Elaine LaRussa. Names that come to mind when thinking of the top heavy metal babes of all time? Not exactly, but it seems the wife of the man who led this city's baseball team to two World Series championships may prefer the mosh pit over the dugout herself. See also: - The 2 ... More >>

The Top St. Louis Hip-Hop Artists to Watch in 2013

Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. ... More >>

Win Tickets to Reel Big Fish at the Pageant

Reel Big Fish is coming to the Pageant on Tuesday, January 15, and we have a pair of tickets right here at RFT Music headquarters just waiting for you. The band will be joined on stage by the Pilfers and Dan Potthast of hometown ska heroes MU330. See also: - The Six Best Cover Songs By Ska Bands - ... More >>